\chapter*{树屋里的手掌暖炉 / Warm Hands in the Treehouse}
\addcontentsline{toc}{chapter}{树屋里的手掌暖炉 / Warm Hands in the Treehouse}

\section*{初雪来信 / First Snow Letter}

十一月最后一场雪压弯冬青树枝时，露西在窗台发现了那个原木信箱。信箱把手的铜铃铛上悬着冰棱，里头躺着用松果压住的牛皮信纸：

\begin{flushright}
When the last snow of November bent the holly branches, Lucy found the log mailbox on the windowsill. An icicle hung from its brass bell, inside lay parchment paper weighed down by a pinecone:
\end{flushright}

\noindent

\textit{"致新来的树屋朋友：\
每日16:30供暖系统检修\
建议准备羊毛袜与热巧克力\
——隔壁林务员 杰克"}

\section*{供暖维修日志 / Heating Maintenance Log}

\begin{table}[h]
\centering
\begin{tabular}{|p{3cm}|p{10cm}|}
    \hline
    \textbf{日期 / Date} & \textbf{维修记录 / Maintenance Record} \\
    \hline
    11.28 & 替换松鼠啃咬的绝缘层（附赠核桃补偿包）\\
    & Replaced the squirrel-chewed insulation (with bonus walnut compensation pack) \\
    \hline
    12.05 & 加固二楼漏风地板（顺带摆放槲寄生装饰）\\
    & Reinforced the drafty floor on the second floor (with added mistletoe decoration) \\
    \hline
    12.17 & 修理故障壁炉（预留姜饼人形状助燃炭）\\
    & Repaired the faulty fireplace (with gingerbread-shaped fuel briquettes reserved) \\
    \hline
\end{tabular}
\caption{维修记录 / Maintenance Log}
\end{table}

\section*{杰克的温暖魔法 / Jack's Warming Magic}

露西是个充满活力的孩子，但她也有一个问题经常困扰她——她经常会暴饮暴食，结果常常感到肚子痛。

每当露西吃得太多、肚子难受的时候，她都会悄悄爬上树屋，窝在壁炉旁的小毯子里。杰克总能在第一时间察觉，带着一杯热可可和那双总是温暖的手。

\begin{flushright}
Whenever Lucy overate and felt uncomfortable, she would quietly climb up to the treehouse and curl up under the little blanket by the fireplace. Jack always noticed right away, bringing a cup of hot cocoa and his ever-warm hands.
\end{flushright}

他会轻轻坐在她身边，像翻一本熟悉的书那样，小心地把手放在她的肚子上，慢慢地打着圈。露西一开始会皱着眉头、吸着鼻子，几分钟后就安静下来，脸颊浮现出像雪后阳光那样的红晕。

\begin{flushright}
He would sit gently beside her, placing his hands on her tummy like turning the pages of a familiar book — slow, careful circles. At first, Lucy frowned and sniffled, but within minutes, she’d quiet down, a blush blooming on her cheeks like sunlight after snow.
\end{flushright}

“你的手像冬天的炉子。”她总是这样说。杰克笑着摇头，“只是知道你需要暖一点。”

\begin{flushright}
“Your hands are like a winter stove,” she would always say. Jack would smile and shake his head, “I just know when you need a little extra warmth.”
\end{flushright}

那天，雪下得格外大，树屋外的世界像被糖粉覆盖的姜饼小镇。露西刚从学校回来，怀里抱着一个巨大的冰淇淋蛋糕盒子，眼睛闪闪发光。

\begin{flushright}
That day, the snow was especially thick — the world outside the treehouse looked like a gingerbread village dusted with powdered sugar. Lucy had just returned from school, carrying a huge box of ice cream cake, her eyes sparkling.
\end{flushright}

“老师说庆祝考试结束。”她理直气壮地说，但没过多久，肚子就开始反抗。

\begin{flushright}
“Teacher said it’s for celebrating the end of exams,” she declared proudly. But not long after, her tummy started to protest.
\end{flushright}

她蜷缩在树屋的沙发角落，哼哼唧唧。杰克什么也没说，只是轻轻放下书本，把双手搓热后，像施魔法一样贴在她肚子上。

\begin{flushright}
She curled up in the corner of the treehouse sofa, groaning softly. Jack didn’t say a word. He just closed his book, rubbed his hands together until they were warm, and placed them gently on her tummy like casting a quiet spell.
\end{flushright}

外面是风雪，屋里是热可可、橘子皮的香味，还有杰克掌心不变的温度。露西靠着他，打了个嗝，然后轻声说：“我以后真的不贪吃了……”

\begin{flushright}
Outside, the snowstorm howled. Inside, the air was filled with the scent of cocoa and orange peel, and Jack’s palms radiated steady warmth. Lucy leaned into him, let out a small burp, then whispered, “I really won’t overeat again…”
\end{flushright}

杰克点点头，但他知道，明年考试结束的冰淇淋蛋糕，还是会如约而至。

\begin{flushright}
Jack nodded, but he knew — next year’s post-exam ice cream cake would arrive right on schedule.
\end{flushright}

\section*{一起长大 / Growing Up Together}

春天的时候，他们一起种下的胡萝卜终于冒芽了。露西兴奋得跳起来，把泥土蹭到鼻尖。杰克笑着帮她擦掉，顺便把她的蝴蝶结重新绑好。

\begin{flushright}
In spring, the carrots they planted finally sprouted. Lucy jumped with joy, getting dirt on her nose. Jack laughed and wiped it off, retied the bow in her hair with practiced care.
\end{flushright}

夏天的夜晚，他们坐在树屋外的吊床上数星星。露西总是说她看见了一只猫形状的星星，杰克却觉得那是只鸡。“好吧，那是猫鸡星。”露西眨眨眼，做了个新命名。

\begin{flushright}
On summer nights, they lay on the hammock outside the treehouse, counting stars. Lucy always claimed to see a cat-shaped constellation, while Jack insisted it was a chicken. “Fine, it’s the Cat-Chicken Star,” Lucy declared, eyes twinkling.
\end{flushright}

秋天落叶满地，杰克教露西怎么用落叶做书签。露西一开始只会把叶子折成团，后来却能做出金黄色小花的样子。她把书签送给杰克，说：“你看，它们像我不小心掉的头发。”

\begin{flushright}
When autumn covered the ground with fallen leaves, Jack taught Lucy how to make bookmarks. At first, she just crumpled them, but soon she could craft golden flowers. She gave Jack one and said, “Look, they’re like little bits of my hair I forgot to keep.”
\end{flushright}

冬天，他们一起扫雪、做雪人、烤南瓜。露西负责胡闹，杰克负责收拾残局。可杰克从来没觉得麻烦。对他来说，陪着露西长大，就是最甜的冒险。

\begin{flushright}
In winter, they shoveled snow, built snowmen, and roasted pumpkin. Lucy made the mess; Jack cleaned it up. But he never minded. To him, growing up with Lucy was the sweetest kind of adventure.
\end{flushright}

\section*{服务森林居民 / Serving the Forest Folks}

露西恢复后，两人决定把树屋变成“胃肠小屋”，为其他吃撑的森林动物提供帮助。树屋门口挂了一块小木牌，上面写着：“欢迎吃太多的小家伙！”

\begin{flushright}
After Lucy recovered, they turned the treehouse into a “Tummy Care Cabin” for animals who’d overeaten. A little wooden sign at the door read: “Welcome, Overstuffed Friends!”
\end{flushright}

小刺猬最常来，因为他总是一次吃五个苹果。杰克给他温热的苹果水，露西帮他搓肚子，小刺猬咕噜一声就睡着了。

\begin{flushright}
The little hedgehog was a frequent visitor — he always ate five apples at once. Jack served him warm apple water, and Lucy rubbed his round belly until he dozed off with a satisfied sigh.
\end{flushright}

还有一次，胖胖的狐狸先生来敲门，嘴角还沾着蛋糕屑。露西瞪了他一眼：“你是不是又偷吃了兔子的生日蛋糕？”狐狸羞愧地低头，杰克无奈地叹气：“狐狸先生，今天你回家只能喝薄荷水了。”

\begin{flushright}
One time, Mr. Fox knocked on the door, crumbs still clinging to his whiskers. Lucy squinted at him. “Did you sneak Rabbit’s birthday cake again?” Mr. Fox bowed his head in shame. Jack sighed, “Today’s special: peppermint water only.”
\end{flushright}

小屋渐渐热闹了起来，有点像医院，又有点像茶馆。大家都知道，那里有最温暖的手和最善良的笑声。

\begin{flushright}
The treehouse grew lively — part clinic, part tea house. Everyone knew it as the place with the warmest hands and the kindest laughter.
\end{flushright}

\section*{一起望向远方 / Gazing into the Distance}

忙碌的一天结束后，露西和杰克坐在树屋顶上，看着远方的天边慢慢变蓝。风吹过，他们不说话，只听见叶子的沙沙声，还有一点点心跳的回音。

\begin{flushright}
At the end of a busy day, Lucy and Jack sat on the treehouse roof, watching the sky slowly turn blue. The wind passed by; they said nothing, just listened to the rustling leaves — and maybe the faint echo of their own heartbeats.
\end{flushright}

“你说我们会一直这样吗？”露西轻声问。杰克没立刻回答，只是握了握她的手。“嗯。”他说，“就像树屋不会搬家，星星不会走丢。”

\begin{flushright}
“Do you think we’ll always be like this?” Lucy whispered. Jack didn’t answer right away — he just held her hand. “Yeah,” he said. “Like how the treehouse never moves, and stars never get lost.”
\end{flushright}

夜色越来越深，猫头鹰开始唱歌，远处传来狐狸先生打嗝的声音。杰克笑出声，露西也笑了。他们的笑声在夜里飘得很远很远，像一首没有歌词的歌。

\begin{flushright}
As the night deepened, the owl began to sing, and somewhere far away, Mr. Fox let out a burp. Jack chuckled. Lucy laughed too. Their laughter drifted far into the night — like a song without words.
\end{flushright}

\section*{写下一首诗 / Writing a Poem}

第二天清晨，杰克提议写一首诗，送给森林，也送给未来的他们。露西一边咬着铅笔头一边点头：“要押韵哦，像跳绳一样好记。”

\begin{flushright}
The next morning, Jack suggested they write a poem — for the forest, and for their future selves. Lucy nodded, chewing on the pencil: “It has to rhyme, like a jump rope song.”
\end{flushright}

他们一起写下:

\begin{center}
    \textit{
    在树屋边吃萝卜，\\
    不小心也会长智慧。\\
    如果你肚子叫了，\\
    来找我们，不收票。\\
    Eating carrots by the treehouse,\\
    Might just make us wiser too.\\
    If your tummy makes a ruckus,\\
    Come find us — no ticket due.\\
    }
\end{center}

露西觉得这首诗“有点蠢但挺可爱”，杰克说：“像我们。”

\begin{flushright}
Lucy said it was “a little silly but kinda cute.” Jack smiled, “Just like us.”
\end{flushright}

这就结束了，但又像没有结束一样。
因为他们还在那片森林里，还在笑、在唱、在长大。

\begin{flushright}
And that’s the end — or maybe not.
Because somewhere in that forest,
they’re still laughing, still singing, still growing up.
\end{flushright}